Jumping from one hobby to another and all things awesome

DIY-DINOSAUR WORLD

LOOKING FOR A CHEAP AND EXCITING WAY TO CREATE A FUN DO IT YOURSELF DINO-WORLD FOR YOUR STUDENTS? I MIGHT HAVE THE SOLUTION JUST FOR YOU.

I made this Dino world last year in my workplace , which I will mention in my other blogs, and the photo was taken by one of my co-educator.Our aim was to reuse our old materials from our centre and incorporate nature play with it.

I got lucky that we are able to create these stunning learning environments at work because my workplace believes that a child’s interest is one of the best things that educators should focus on, and majority of the children, if not all will come across with interests in dinosaur stuff.

WHAT WE NEED:

FOR THE BASE :

1.HESSIAN FABRIC (2-3 METRES LONG )- Yes my friends, hessian fabric is one of the best ways to make nature-y learning environments. If you want to be more sustainable, you can use the recycled ones from garage sales or recycling shops (Reverse Garbage here in Sydney Australia) .Please comment below if you have recycling shops in your places too so we can share it to others.

DUPE ALERT: HESSIAN SACKS CAN BE SUBSTITUTED BY POTATO SACKS OR ANY BROWN-ISH COLOURED SACKS SUCH AS FLOUR OR GRAIN SACKS.

FOR THE WATER AND LAVA EFFECT:

INCORPORATING NATURAL PLAY :

SUCCULENTS! -We have been growing succulents in our centre so we have the pleasure of incorporating these in our play spaces.

Instructions for building:

1.BASE -Put the hessian all over your wooden/cardboard base and stick it with PVA glue. With the big bottles or tubs, make a paper mache of a volcano. Just build up the newspaper until you reach a volcano figure . Set it aside to dry. When it dries up, put the hessian fabric on top of the volcano newspaper mache. If you will look at the photo you will see that I’ve poked a hole on top of it to give way for the lava. Put the volcano on top of the base

2. Prepare the liquids!

PVA GLUE+SHAVING CREAM+BLUE COLOURED PAINT=Water effect (More shaving cream will give more body to the glue when it dries.)

PVA GLUE+ RED COLOURED PAINT = Flowing lava .. please make orange version as well and refer to my photo.

Choose where you want to put your pretend river /body of water and pour the red and orange paint on top of the volcano. Preferably on the mouth part of the bottle . If you are happy with your placement of the volcano and the river, or whatever body of water you want. If you want to add waterfalls that would be fun too!

3. ROAR IT UP! ACCESSORISE-

Make sure you avoid contact of the liquid parts. Add your cones, stones, and potted succulents . You can even use egg carton stuck in the set up so you can really plant it in the set up.

Note: It might take 3 days for the glue to dry because of the amount that you will use. So I suggest do it on a Friday afternoon with the children and set it up on a Monday.

Teach the children to refrain from squishing the water effect because the dinos might get thirsty if their water gets ruined.

DO NOT FORGET THE DINO TOYS ! They are the star of the show .

Concepts you can teach: Kinds of dinos, habitat, timeline, food, Volcanoes, lava, magma and the list goes on and on. You can also add in books as a display and to invite the children to relate the book’s concept.

I hope this helps a lot of educators. Please follow me and send an email at zemermaids@gmail.com if you want more tips or dupes or tweaks or suggestions and feedback. Or easier, you can comment here or in my FB or IG accounts.